A few comments from Josh D'Amaro on the parks from a Q&A with media this morning - below is from an article at DFB.
On recent revenue-driving changes -
"To combat this narrative, Disney has recently rolled back a few policies, like paid parking at their resort hotels in Disney World. But some stakeholders see this as too little, too late, and are left wondering if the parks will continue to carry the budgetary weight of the company…and if guests will be the ones bearing the brunt through more price increases and the elimination of previously free amenities.
According to Josh D’Amaro, the two are not connected. “It’s easy to make that association,” he says of the revenue-enhancing DPEP changes being attached to budget hiccups in streaming. But “losses elsewhere in the company have nothing to do with what decisions are made at the parks level,” he says. “We’re not going to raise the price of a bottle of Dasani because of budgetary concerns in another part of the company.”
He also says that Disney+ losses have no affect on what’s green lit in the parks. In fact, D’Amaro was adamant that the Walt Disney Company is on the brink of their biggest projects yet. “We have no shortage of money. We wanna make sure we do the biggest things, the coolest things, the things that represent the future.”
And in reference to guest concerns that Disney parks projects may be curtailed due to budgetary issues elsewhere in the company, D’Amaro responded, “Our capital spending is higher than it’s ever been before. People are looking for reasons why we shouldn’t be investing, but we’re investing more. That’s not gonna stop as long as I’m in charge. If anybody’s worried that we’re pulling back, we’re not.”"
On the Blue Sky talks at the D23 event last September -
"Today, D’Amaro confirmed these parks expansion projects are still under consideration. “Imagineers are really talking about these,” he says. “We want to pull back the curtain.”
According to D’Amaro, the future is bright for the Disney parks. And it genuinely seems like he’s grateful to be at the helm during what he clearly sees as an explosive time of opportunity."
Do Disney's streaming losses affect new projects at the parks? This Disney Exec says no.
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